Roadtrip Nation and AT&T Kickoff Tour to help Students Discover their Pathway to a Career
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 28, 2015 -- It’s never too soon for high school students to start thinking about a career, but many struggle to translate their passions into a viable profession. With a new $2.2 million contribution from AT&T, Roadtrip Nation, a career exploration organization, today launched its official 2015 educational tour at Alliance Cindy & Bill Simon Technology Academy High School in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California. The kick-off presentation featured two special guest speakers, award-winning African American actor and humanitarian starring in the upcoming CBS series Code Black, William Allen Young, and Emmy-winning Cuban American journalist, Myrka Dellanos.
AT&T’s continued investment in Roadtrip Nation is part of AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond.
The 2015 educational tour brings Roadtrip Nation’s iconic green RV to 30 schools across the country throughout the fall with the goal of inspiring students⎯many at risk of dropping out⎯ with self-discovery tools to define their own professional roads, and the unique exposure to inspirational stories of local leaders.
“This project has truly inspired me. It has kept me looking in one direction, yet is also showing me the ability to take different paths and experience new things in order to achieve my goals,” one student utilizing the program under the AT&T 2014-2015 contribution noted.
Building off its successful collaboration already reaching 15,000 students in 12 states, AT&T is making a new $2.2 million contribution to Roadtrip Nation to help equip even more students with the skills needed to graduate ready to succeed in their career. Part of this contribution will go towards funding the The Roadtrip Nation Experience, a classroom curriculum inspired by the original PBS series, dedicated to helping students better understand their personal interests and discover unique career opportunities.
“Today’s most impactful leaders are not only skilled in their professions, they are passionate about what they do,” said Ken McNeely, President, AT&T California. “AT&T is proud to support Roadtrip Nation in helping young people discover how their passions can translate into a meaningful and successful career.”
The on-campus events taking place this fall introduce the philosophy of Roadtrip Nation through interactive self-exploration exercises, live on-stage interviews with local professionals, and video content from the organization’s public television series. The program and collaboration aim to encourage students to overcome their current obstacles and pave their own professional paths.
“Our focus is to provide underserved youth with the exposure to professions and opportunities they may not hear about at school or even while growing up. We want to show them the countless routes available to them, and the many ways to get there,” said Mike Marriner, cofounder of Roadtrip Nation.
Roadtrip Nation’s vast Interview Archive, which contains thousands of videos of successful real-world professionals spanning every industry, allows students to learn the steps each of these leaders took to bring them to where they are today. Throughout the curriculum, students connect to an online student community where they can share their projects and connect with like-minded peers across the country who share similar goals.
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About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2014, nearly $127 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.
About Roadtrip Nation
Roadtrip Nation creates self-discovery resources designed to help individuals build fulfilling lives and careers around their interests. Combining self-reflection with real-world exposure, Roadtrip Nation tools enable people to connect their interests to relevant life pathways and stay engaged with their futures.
For more information, visit roadtripnation.com and roadtripnation.org.
Follow Roadtrip Nation’s current educational initiatives on Twitter at @RoadtripEDU.
Follow AT&T’s Citizenship & Sustainability team on Twitter at @ConnectToGood and #ATTimpact.
Press Contact:
Roadtrip Nation, Loureen Ayyoub
(949) 764-9121 x207
[email protected]
Loureen Ayyoub, Roadtrip Nation, +1 (949) 764-9121 Ext: 207, [email protected]
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